#93 - Drink it up
As for other escape techniques, even the basic five nature transformations, the channels for ordinary people to learn them are limited.
Naruto, as a child, bought many scrolls from the market to learn, and kept them in his training room.
Unfortunately, they were all scrolls filled with shoddy content, completely useless.
This is the information barrier and lack of connections faced by ordinary civilians; even if they spend money, they can't buy any good ninjutsu, only a pile of useless junk.
Occasionally, they might get lucky and find something good, but the probability is no different from winning the lottery.
“You’re right, this is my first time visiting.”
Uchiha Hazuki stood at the door, frowning slightly.
This Uchiha Seiji is too ignorant of etiquette.
From the moment she arrived, she didn't know what he was thinking, staring at her for a long time as if he was stunned.
“Please, come in.”
Seiji slightly stepped aside, making a gesture to invite her in.
Uchiha Hazuki stepped into the courtyard, her eyes slowly scanning the surroundings.
The grass in the yard looked like it hadn't been trimmed for some time, with many weeds growing.
She thought that perhaps Seiji had recently participated in the Chunin Exams, which was why he had neglected the upkeep of the yard.
The exterior walls of the house were also weathered; the original black wood had turned grayish-white, and the tiles on the eaves were covered with a thin layer of dust.
After pushing the door open and entering, the inside was similar to the outside.
It all looked very dilapidated.
A hint of undisguised disgust flashed in her eyes.
However, there were many scrolls inside.
There was even a simple bookshelf in the living room, filled with various scrolls, including many medical books.
This made Uchiha Hazuki's perception of Seiji slightly different.
That is, he is eager to learn.
“Please sit down, I’ll make some tea.”
Looking at Uchiha Hazuki, who was looking around, Seiji had a slight smile. He wasn't in a hurry.
Sometimes, letting the prey relax more will make their muscles tighten more intensely in the moment they are hunted.
Seiji went to the kitchen to make tea.
Now, he no longer needed to stand on a stool to reach things, and he could easily make tea.
Uchiha Hazuki continued to observe, her peripheral vision catching a subtle sliding sensation on the ground.
A white snake slowly crawled out from the gap between the tatami mats, its movements steady and languid, its snow-white scales reflecting a faint cold luster in the dim light.
It seemed to sense Hazuki's gaze, slightly raising its head, its cold snake eyes meeting hers for a moment, then disappearing into the shadows deep in the room.
Uchiha Hazuki knelt at the low table, surprised that Seiji would actually raise a summoning beast.
Who taught him such a C-rank ninjutsu?
Uchiha Hazuki recalled that Fugaku had mentioned this when Seiji first participated in the gathering under the Nanga Shrine.
“The captain of the medical team.”
Uchiha Hazuki thought to herself.
She only hoped that these ten sets of chainmail would satisfy Seiji's appetite.
Regret welled up in her heart; she shouldn't have had that attitude towards Seiji, and she even delayed taking him to receive the ninjutsu that should have been given to him for a month.
Sensing Uchiha Hazuki's unease, Seiji's dōjutsu reacted.
Her helpless and regretful appearance was quite amusing.
Before long, Seiji brought a cup of tea and placed it in front of Uchiha Hazuki.
Uchiha Hazuki looked at the teacup.
At first glance, it was a cheap teacup bought from who knows where, with some black spots.
It was unclear whether they were tea stains from frequent use or something else.
Already troubled by Seiji's matter, Uchiha Hazuki was even less in the mood to drink tea.
She raised her eyes and looked at Seiji, saying:
“Here are ten sets of chainmail.”
Uchiha Hazuki took out a sealing scroll. “This scroll is also for you.”
“Oh my, then I must thank you, Hazuki-nee, for being so generous.”
Seiji smiled slightly.
Uchiha Hazuki's small actions from the moment she came in had not escaped Seiji's notice.
“Since you’re being so generous, it wouldn’t hurt to give me some illusion technique scrolls, right?”
“!”
Uchiha Hazuki's eyes widened.
She had long expected Seiji to be greedy, but she didn't expect him to be so unreasonable.
She had learned illusion techniques, but that was through the experience she gained from completing many mission requests.
Seiji had done nothing and wanted her hard-earned results?
“Seiji, you’ve been here for so long, you should know the rules.”
Uchiha Hazuki said softly.
“Heh, but Hazuki-nee doesn’t know the rules of conduct either. You really dislike this place, don’t you?”
“How could that be, Seiji.”
Seiji's question made Uchiha Hazuki's heart jump, and she quickly denied it.
“If you don’t want to be here, why force yourself? Please leave.”
Seiji's tone turned cold, and he issued an eviction order.
The white snake seemed to sense the sudden change in atmosphere, slowly coming out and coiling around Seiji's feet, flicking its red tongue.
“Seiji, I…”
Uchiha Hazuki's fingertips curled slightly, turning faintly white, and a thin layer of sweat had already seeped out of the palms of her hands under her sleeves.
“Please leave.”
Seiji's tone was calm, his speech neither hurried nor slow, as if he was sincerely thinking of her.
Uchiha Hazuki looked up at his nonchalant, infuriating expression, and a surge of impulse rose in her heart for a moment.
She wanted to get up directly and leave without hesitation.
However, her reason firmly pinned this impulse in place.
Offending Seiji like this was not rational.
It was all because of her that everything had started.
Seeing that Uchiha Hazuki didn't leave or speak, Seiji slowly opened his mouth after a while:
“By the way, Hazuki-nee, I heard you have a very good male friend named Yamada Daiyu?”
Uchiha Hazuki's heart trembled violently.
How could Seiji know about this?
She wanted to ask.
But she thought that this matter was not a secret in the clan.
It was just that there were few Uchiha who married outside the clan, which caused some discussion.
“Marrying someone from outside the clan is rare among the Uchiha… Although the family doesn’t object, it’s still uncommon.”
Seiji's tone was still unhurried.
If he showed his brilliance in the Chunin Exams, the Uchiha clan of the future would definitely value him more.
Seiji thought of this.
Uchiha Hazuki also thought of this.
Sure enough, Seiji chuckled and slowly said:
“I am confident in achieving excellent results in the third round of the Chunin Exams… At that time, Lord Fugaku should value me even more, right?”
“Stop talking, I’ll give it to you.”
Uchiha Hazuki, taking a deep breath, didn't want to argue with Seiji and just wanted to leave quickly.
The corners of Seiji's mouth turned up slightly.
His eyes drooped slightly, landing on the teacup on the table, his fingertips gently caressing the edge of the porcelain cup, casually picking it up and taking a sip.
The temperature was just right.
Seiji slowly put down the cup, tapped the edge of the cup lightly with his finger, and looked at Uchiha Hazuki with an inscrutable expression.
“Hazuki-nee, the tea is brewed well, the temperature is just right.”
Then he smiled slightly and pushed the tea he had drunk over, saying, “Why don’t you take a sip too, Hazuki-nee?”
